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Warlock Enhancements: Tainted Scholar

Here's our current design for the Tainted Scholar enhancements!

Tainted Scholars have learned a wider variety of spells than other Warlocks, and have extensively studied methods for enhancing Eldritch Blasts, such as Eldritch Essences for changing the damage type, or alternate active forms of Eldritch Blast, such as Eldritch Chains. They've got great damage output, especially when they critically hit. They have access to Confusion, which makes enemies indiscriminately attack friends and foe.

You gain 1 Depravity each time you damage enemies with Eldritch Blast or spells (except with Positive Energy). You can gain 1 Depravity every 7 seconds. Each additional trained Tainted Scholar Core enhancement reduces this cooldown by 1 second, to a minimum of 2 seconds. You can have up to 10 Depravity, which disappears on rest, death or entering public spaces.

Isnt stanch a bit to strong?
Temp hit points based on current max?
Taken into account that its lv 6 core this can be easily abused.
To be honest, you shoul go with depravity mechanism and free slas based on depravity counter and unique spells with every warlock tree.
This one impressed me the most and seems okish even.

What is cd of stuning blast? And the dc of confusion?
How will confusion work with those spells?
Also, why command? Can you replace it by something more relevant?
Depravity system is great, just try to make better spells to use it

Isnt stanch a bit to strong?
Temp hit points based on current max?
Taken into account that its lv 6 core this can be easily abused.

Perhaps. It's something that we can alter a % easily enough; should it be 50% of max? How much?

To be honest, you shoul go with depravity mechanism and free slas based on depravity counter and unique spells with every warlock tree.
This one impressed me the most and seems okish even.

What is cd of stuning blast? And the dc of confusion?
How will confusion work with those spells?
Also, why command? Can you replace it by something more relevant?
Depravity system is great, just try to make better spells to use it

Some of that is still in progress. DC of confusion is similar to a spell; it's tentatively a level 5 spell in the background (so 15 + Charisma mod + Enchant bonuses).

We welcome thoughts on balancing or ideas for other spells (both existing and otherwise, though obviously any particular new spell suggestion is less likely to happen out of all possibilities for new and old).

Command felt balanced as a moderately effective yet balanced tier 1 ability. Perhaps there are different opinions or perspectives I'm not understanding from this comment for what would be a better choice here.

They need more DC. even if its plugged into 18-20 cores, warlocks are already atleast 3 behind other casters due to heighten only increasing it to 6th level rahter hten 9th, so they need someway to make up for that

I have to reiterate about Crateos. Looking at the tree, the only blast change available at the level range when you encounter him is neg energy. He's a mandatory miniboss in a very commonly run level 5 quest who's completely immune to Light, Force, and, as a construct, negative energy. And is in close quarters you can't get out of, so the Lock either /must/ be grouped and virtually useless in that fight, facetank him without real means of doing so, or rely on a hire to fight him (and hires aren't exactly great for that.)

Sure, it's one mob, but that's even more of a lockout for the class for that quest (and thus Big Top as well) than all the light damage in Running with the Devils is to a PM (who has means to compensate without being relegated to swinging a weapon). Even a Fire Savant can run in Shavarath/Chrono/Devil Assault by using their secondary element. Lock doesn't have that option.

Command felt balanced as a moderately effective yet balanced tier 1 ability. Perhaps there are different opinions or perspectives I'm not understanding from this comment for what would be a better choice here.

If you're going for basically a 1st level CC type effect, the depravity/knowledge you really shouldn't have theme might be better supported with a different spell. Particularly since you're giving Command to the Fiend pact already. I suggest a renamed Faerie Fire. Maybe even call it the same as an old AD&D spell. Invisibility Purge. Or Unveil the Hidden. Particularly since Faerie Fire isn't already a granted/normally available spell.

Warlocks also have their secondary damage types from their Pact, which do work on Crateos. If they do it at level 5, they can get 2d4 base + 3d4 from the Scholar tree, which isn't nothing. And if they get to level 7, the limit of Elite BB, they can actually afford the untyped damage from this tree.

Agree that stanch could be very powerful particularly at high levels where HP are pretty big to huge... maybe make it so it's, say, 15% of max HP as temp HP per core enhancement (so when you get it, it's 45%), but with each core enhancement after the one where it's introduced, it reduces max HP by an extra 1% (so 4% at level 20) & it would be in keeping thematically since "i want more power!" "ok, i want more sacrifice".

That's a fighter who gained every hp increase under the sun, including taking Toughness 11 times! A warlock is much more likely to run around closer to 800 hp at endgame, though it will vary depending on past lives. I think 50% max hp is actually rather reasonable, comparing favorably to Blood Tribute from Frenzied Berserker.

That's a fighter who gained every hp increase under the sun, including taking Toughness 11 times! A warlock is much more likely to run around closer to 800 hp at endgame, though it will vary depending on past lives. I think 50% max hp is actually rather reasonable, comparing favorably to Blood Tribute from Frenzied Berserker.

And a 14 fighter 6 warlock con based dorf that took toughness 11 times would be where? 6000hp?

half warlock level times heal skill would be around 800 hp by endgame for a pure warlock that invested in heal skill with heal slotted somewhere.

Another possibility would be double your positive spell power in temp hp.

If you look at the breakdown, you see just how many of the buffs aren't sustainable, with some not even possible to be used in combination outside of town. The actual standing HP of someone decked to the limit with that build will be more on the order of 3k, which while still outrageous, actively sacrifices almost everything for pure hp.

However, the real problem with your suggestion is that you are not only giving a skill tax to Warlocks (who only get 2+int modifier skill points anyway), but that skill is cross-class for them.

Tainted Scholars have learned a wider variety of spells than other Warlocks, and have extensively studied methods for enhancing Eldritch Blasts, such as Eldritch Essences for changing the damage type, or alternate active forms of Eldritch Blast, such as Eldritch Chains. They've got great damage output, especially when they critically hit. They have access to Confusion, which makes enemies indiscriminately attack friends and foe.[/quote]

Nice theme.

BtW, in Pokemon a confused pokemon hurts themselves when they fail a confusion roll, however this version works for me. I assume unlike a charmed foe, Players can attack confused foes. This will make the spell more popular.

You gain 1 Depravity each time you damage enemies with Eldritch Blast or spells (except with Positive Energy). You can gain 1 Depravity every 7 seconds. Each additional trained Tainted Scholar Core enhancement reduces this cooldown by 1 second, to a minimum of 2 seconds. You can have up to 10 Depravity, which disappears on rest, death or entering public spaces.

I like this counter system. Please make sure it persists when entering a new quest zone area. You seem to have a good amount of regeneration on the system which is good. I see a tapering off of things to spend Depravity on as the tree get higher in level. Perhaps review that point, squeeze in another SLA fueled by it? {Edit: Just found Stunning Blast so we are ok as you have 2.} Overall, it looks good.

Love the Spell Critical Damage here.
Super nice to see the +1 to DCs will be counting them up as I read thru.
Web is very nice addition, its a bread and butter spell and fits very well with a warlock theme.

10 AP, class level 6: Stanch:

Activate for 7 Depravity: Gains temporary hitpoints equal to your maximum hitpoints. These last for 1 minute. You have -1% maximum hitpoints until you rest, which stacks up to 99 times.

+10 maximum Depravity.

Crushing Despair is added to your known Warlock Spells at level 3.

Crushing Despair is a great spell addition and thematic.

Nice way to spend Depravity and have a limiter on it.
Although some would say Stench is too strong, they are not reading it: last for one minute, costs 7 depravity, and reduces total hit points. {If you want to limit it, try 2% loss of hp.}
Still would like another Depravity fueled SLA possibly.

20 AP, class level 12: Tainted Lore:

+20% Spell Critical Damage, +1 to Warlock Spell DCs.

+10 maximum Depravity.

Death Ward is added to your known Warlock Spells at level 4.

Deathward is another Bread and Butter spell, great additions.
Love the continued spell critical damage (maybe we can see some of thus in the upcoming Artificier, Druid and Favored Soul 3rd trees?
This is the second +1 DCs, nice; looking to offset the difference in heighten spell (3 DC penalty due to max level 6 spell level).

30 AP, class level 18: Blood Component:

Your Eldritch Blast attacks 10% faster.

+10 maximum Depravity.

-25 Maximum HP

Greater Heroism is added to your known Warlock Spells at level 5.

I like the adjustment to Eldritch Blast speed. Would it be possible to offer a feat for another 10%, probably not but its a feat option since you can adjust the animation some (might stretch it too much).

I assume here is another +1 DC disguised as an extra 2 Charisma. Energy Drain is good to prepare for a Finger of Death. Need good spell pen to let it land. Expensive to cast both on each target, but nice option. The bonus to Eldritch Blastsets a standard I guess, now expecting the purchasable past life feat to be +1d6 instead of higher. Either one seems a bit lowish, would rather see +2d6 for capstone and purchasable past life feat, but the 30% spell critical definately offset my concerns there.

Tier One

Planar Power: +30/60/90 Spell Points

Feigned Health: When you cast spells on yourself or allies, you grant temporary hitpoints equal to (33%/66%/100%) of your Charisma.

Command SLA: Activate for 3/2/1 Depravity:

Strong Pact: Bonus Eldritch Blast damage from your Pact is increased by 1d4. This scales with spellpower, like all Eldritch Blast damage.

Planar Power is nice, typical tier one and very welcome as spell points are nice to have.

I like Feigned Health. Its very low hanging and will provide and easy tree splash for most Warlock builds as the class itself lack self healing. There is a limit to how much self and ally casting a Warlock will do, so looks about right to me. I know some will want it lowered but I say leave it alone. A healing type build can take advantage of thus nicely. Regardless a Warlock will never be a quality tank without a lot of giving up dps power.

I like Strong Pact, very nice as the Pact damage could be increased a bit. This fits the bill well.

Here is the first and only Depravity Fueled SLA. Could we add one more? Oh I just found Stunning Blast, so I am now happy on that point.

Eldritch Chain: Eldritch Blast Shape Stance: When toggled on, your basic attack an Eldritch Blast that chains to two other enemies. This scales with 66% spellpower.

Stunning Blast: Activate for 7/5/3 Depravity: Attack one enemy with an Eldritch Blast that stuns your target for 12 seconds on a failed Fortitude saving throw.

Strong Pact: same as lower tier

Wand and Scroll Mastery: +[25/50/75]% to the effectiveness of your wands, scrolls, and other items that cast spells, and +[1/2/3] to the DCs of your offensive wands.

I assume Eldritch Blast Essence Stances can be toggled on and off? Having two stances in this tree definitely helps any concerns about force immune foes. Obviously there are times that negative energy is very bad, so it needs to be a toggle.

Love the Chain effect, nice to have a Shape Stance; it obviously is a toggle too.

More Strong Pact is very good, keep on with that.
Love the Wand and Scroll Masterly being low hanging and combining wand DCs together.
Thank you for the Epic Wand of Wonder.
We could use a few more Epic Wands as time goes by.

Confused monsters attack and are attacked by both monster characters and player characters.

Strong Pact: same as lower tier

CHA/INT

The long awaited Bane Damage Essence stance. Thank you. I assume the +1d6 bonus is passive.

I am confused by Enervating Shadows. If I read it right, this is similiar to the Fvs shoulder archon?
Or do all auto attack Eldritch Blasts fire while target is faced and in range.
Either way the neg level will help for DC casting.

Mass Confusion: A group of non-boss monsters each become Confused on a failed Will saving throw.

Confused monsters attack and are attacked by both monster characters and player characters.

Planar Focus: +1 to all Spell DCs

1 rank 2 AP

Nice another +1d6 eldritch damage.

Eldritch Ball -- is this free of spell point cost, like Eldritch Blast is?
I assume it has its own cooldown timer.

I will assume Mass Confusion is another SLA?
Must be.
If so, I like that as you could heighten/quicken it for free.
Suggest reasonable cooldown -- 6~10 seconds?
Hopefully it will cost zero sp?

And there is our technically 4th DC increase.
Since we lose 3 DC due to heighten only going to level 6, and we expect one from tier 5,
this make us even. Not over or under, but even. Wizards will still be the masters of their school,
but Warlocks will be close enough to function.

As always, some of these are still tentative. Abilities or granted spells may change based on feedback and our ability to create new spells.

Thank you for listening to us and the Player's Council.
It great to see this class appear.
Its been awhile since Druids came out.

That's a fighter who gained every hp increase under the sun, including taking Toughness 11 times! A warlock is much more likely to run around closer to 800 hp at endgame, though it will vary depending on past lives. I think 50% max hp is actually rather reasonable, comparing favorably to Blood Tribute from Frenzied Berserker.

Yes, if the warlock is pure. But what hp could a 6 Warlock 14 Fighter or Paladin get? I'm not sure if the ability is strong enough to be worth the multiclass but considering that it's temp hp instead of healing I can see some uses for it. Maybe it should behave a bit like sorcerer/fvs double sp from items and temp hp granted is equal to (warlock levels/number of heroic levels)*Maximum hitpoints.

I really like what I see here, except one thing. I was hoping for more AOE shapes. The other two trees get AOE aura and cone, which can effect a whole lot of mobs (probably both at 100% scaling). This tree gets the chain shape, that can arc only to 2 other mobs at 66% scaling. Doesn't look right to me.

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